With plenty of starters returning, West Mifflin seeking breakout season

By: Dave Mackall
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 | 12:59 AM

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He won a state championship years ago at Steel Valley, and he’s been tasked to return West Mifflin’s status to a legitimate playoff contender.

Rod Steele knows all too well the process, sometimes, is slowed.

As he enters the fifth year as coach of a program that’s seen its share of heartache and success, Steele has embraced what he’s seen so far.

“I like the way our football team is coming together and playing together and jelling together,” Steele said. “I like that. I like the maturity of the group.”

West Mifflin returns 10 starters from a 6-6 team that earned the program’s second playoff appearance in four years.

The Titans will be looking to build momentum early in the year and possibly steamroll into the playoffs, something they haven’t done for a while.

“We’ll be better,” Steele said.

A total of seven returning starters played on both sides of the ball last season and likely will be back in the lineup this year.

Five seniors are among the group: tight end/defensive lineman Braeden Walker, offensive/defensive linemen Tyler Forstoffer and Rico Steele — the coach’s son — and twin running backs/linebackers DelRon and DelRico White.

Junior wide receiver/defensive back Rich Fix and sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Jose Perez are the other two-way holdovers.

Rounding out the returning starters are senior wide receiver Damarius Day and senior offensive lineman Larue Graves.

“We’ve got four out of five guys back on the offensive line. That’s huge,” Steele said.

That doesn’t include 6-foot-3, 320-pound junior lineman Jaiden Brown, who missed most of last season with an injury.

Coach Steele said he’s hopeful Brown can return to the lineup sooner than later this season.

With quarterback Shai Newby moving on to Division III Allegheny, Steele will look to Central Catholic transfer David Fleming to step behind center.

“He played football at a high level being in Class 6A,” Steele said. “His maturity and experience and his football IQ are off the charts. He’s an intelligent kid, a 4.0 student. You can do a lot of things with his skill set.”

Fleming, who played middle school football at West Mifflin, was a starting free safety last season at Central Catholic.

His grandfather, David “Rooster” Fleming, was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the former Gladstone High School in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood section and eventually played on three CFL Grey Cub teams with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where his 108-yard touchdown reception in 1971 remains a franchise record.

Steele sees similarities between his time at Steel Valley and his transition to West Mifflin.

At Steel Valley, Steele amassed a nine-year record of 78-32, including 48-5 over the final five seasons. His first four teams managed a combined record of just 30-27.

“The hardest transition for me here (at West Mifflin) was coming out and making the playoffs the first year (in 2019) and then in year two, we were going into the season with sanctions and stuff like that, (including a two-year probationary period). Follow that up with the short season for covid. It’s already enough when you take over a program and try to change the culture. Everyone is trying to get used to each other.”

Still, West Mifflin, after reaching the WPIAL playoffs 19 times in 26 seasons under former coach Ray Braszo, has qualified twice with Steele holding the reins.

While his four-year record at West Mifflin is just 10-29 (including five forfeits for using an ineligible player in his first season), he coaxed the 2022 team to a .500 mark and a spot in the Class 3A playoff bracket after a 0-3 start.

“A lot of these kids have played and taken their lumps,” Steele said. “At Steel Valley, we had an experienced group, but we took our lumps there too.”

The Ironmen won the PIAA Class 2A championship in 2016 with a 15-0 record.

Had his 2019 West Mifflin squad not have been required to accept an 0-11 record, instead of 5-6, for the infraction that year, the Titans’ overall mark under Steele would stand at eight games under .500 (15-23) rather than 19 under (10-29).

“The past is behind us,” Steele said.

He’s excited about the present.

“You can tell by the group of kids you have in the locker room whether you’re on the right track,” he said. “We have a good group this year.”

West Mifflin

Coach: Rod Steele

2022 record: 6-6, 4-2 in Class 3A Western Hills Conference

All-time record: 300-311-12

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 at McKeesport, 7

9.1 Elizabeth Forward, 7

9.8 at Thomas Jefferson, 7

9.15 Ringgold, 7

9.22 Beaver*, 7

9.29 at Avonworth*, 7

10.6 Seton LaSalle*, 7

10.13 at Quaker Valley*, 7

10.20 Hopewell*, 7

10.27 at South Park*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Shai Newby*

53-88, 1,360 yards, 15 TDs

Rushing: DelRon White

57-400 yards, 11 TDs

Receiving: Ty’Jeir Williams*

27-727 yards, 9 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Four players from West Mifflin’s 2022 team are college freshmen set to continue playing this season. Wide receiver Ty’Jeir Williams (IUP) and linebacker Peyton Yuhas (Edinboro) are at Division II schools. Quarterback Shai Newby (Allegheny) and nose guard Braeden Crousey (Washington & Jefferson) are in Division III.

• In three losses to open the 2022 season — two against larger-classified teams, West Mifflin was outscored 128-14. In its final nine games, including two playoff contests, the Titans reversed the trend, outscoring their opponents 291-144.

• DelRon White’s 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave West Mifflin a 6-0 lead in its 2022 season-ending 42-6 WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals loss to Freeport. White returns as the Titans’ leading rusher from last season.

• West Mifflin plays back-to-back home games just once, facing Ringgold on Sept. 15 and Beaver in the Western Hills Conference opener Sept. 22.

Tags: West Mifflin